Chief constable warns of police shake-up
Jun 11 2009 by Mark Cowan, Birmingham Post
West Midlands Police could be streamlined as part of radical shake-up of the force’s structure as the credit crunch continues to bite.
The force’s new Chief Constable Chris Sims believes pressures on public services finances could be a real possibility over the next few years.
In his speech to senior officers on his first day in the job, Mr Sims hinted that the current structure of 21 individual operational command units could be changed while frontline services were protected.
The 21 OCU structure, the way the force is sub-divided, was introduced in 1996 by Sir Edward Crew when he scrapped the divisions and sub-divisions as part of his own overhaul.
It has been felt by some that there was too many individual command units and that they needed to be better aligned with the administration areas of other public services.
While no plans have been drawn up, sources indicated that the options could include a reduction in the nine OCUs in Birmingham. Merging the three operational command units in Coventry and two each in Wolverhampton, Sandwell and Dudley, could be another option.
Mr Sims told Police Review magazine that while there was no immediate pressure on force finances, in the medium term there could be a need for public services to tighten their belts.
He said: “I think it is almost certain the force will reduce in size. My determination is to try and make sure that reductions come not from the front, the customer-facing side of the organisation, but come from the non-operational end.
“I cannot be specific but I think it begins by questioning everything not directly related to the customer, not just how it is organised but whether we do it at all. Questioning specialism, questioning the need for some additional processes. I think it is going to be a serious root and branch view of the way the organisation is put together.”
Mr Sims has already pledged to make big changes in the way the force tackles crime, moving from a traditional culture of performance targets to concentrate on improving public confidence.
“We have come a very long way but I would argue that we have an even longer journey ahead,” he added.
“Good service requires a meticulous understanding of customer expectation and awe inspiring attention to detail in the way our service is offered and delivered.
“We need to judge ourselves on victim satisfaction, or customer service, rather than by the number of detections we tick in a box.
“I acknowledge this is a huge cultural change but I’m absolutely convinced that our staff are ready to embrace this new way of working.”
He said he had inherited a high performing, confident and hugely respected force, which had seen considerable success in reducing crime over the last few years.
